The Alpha And His Mate (Silver Hills #1)

Chapter 36

The gothic arches that greeted us as we approached held nothing but bad memories for me. I cringed into Jax, seeking comfort in his body.

Diana drifted like a ghost besides us. Her hair stuffed in the breeze, glowing like embers in the moonlight. She had dressed for the occasion, black from head to toe; a dress that was fit for a funeral. Clearly, her expectations for tonight were low.

Genevieve sulked some way ahead of of us, storming about like a storm. She had been furious and reluctant to listen to our pleas. It was only the promise of one-upping Elisabeth (who she had formed a bitter rivalry with) that prompted her to join our crusade. Even so, she made it clear she wasn't happy about it.

"Okay then," Genevieve said in a huff, staring straight at the grand doors in front of us. "Do we knock?"

"Get Diana to do it," Jax said. "The vampires aren't allowed to hurt her."

"I assume that same courtesy doesn't extend to us?" Genevieve asked sarcastically. "No? Well, I'm glad that Lord Thornwood's priorities haven't changed."

Diana's face had turned sour, her lips in a pout as she wrapped her arms around her chest, as if to stave off a chill. "I want nothing to do with the beastly man."

I rolled my eyes and made a face at Jax: we both knew how well denial went.

"Just knock, Thorpe," Genevieve hissed, standing back and gesturing her forward.

With a grimace, Diana ran forward and quickly tapped on the door, as if she were keen to get it over with.

We weren't waiting long before both doors swung open. I recognised the face that greeted us.

"Elsbeth?" I involuntary cried, my eyes straining to see if the blonde vampire was who I thought it was.

Jax gave me an odd look. "You know her?"

I nodded sharply. "She attended to me when Victor was trying to marry me."

Jax growled. "Maybe I should show her how much I appreciate her treating my mate like a piece of meat to be sold to the highest bidder."

Elsbeth heard every word my husband said and barely flinched. Her face remained a neutral mask. "I'm not sure my lord would be too pleased."

"I could rip out your throat and still have time to tear the face of his beloved to shreds before he could catch me," he threatened, his voice no more than a deadly purr carried on the wind.

I slapped his arm when I saw Diana flinch at his words. "Don't place the blame on people who do nothing to deserve it," I scolded him.

"I presume I'm the person he should be blaming then?"

Every head snapped to face Lord Victor Thornwood as he emerged from the shadows of the house. I had to choke back a hysterical laugh when I saw what he was wearing: a long black cloak over a loose white blouse and tight dark trousers. He looked as if he were cosplaying Dracula, though I supposed (really) it was the other way round.

His hair was still long, but it looked as if it had been brushed in an attempt to make him decent. It had half-worked.

He walked towards us, head inclined towards Jax. "If you ever threaten her again, if you ever even think about touching her, I will spill your blood on the floor and get my pathetic servants to lick it clean. Understood."

The two men were nearly touching now, Victor had come so close to Jax in his fury.

Jax regarded him coolly. "If anything, I'd be the one protecting Diana from you." Then he turned to face the horror-struck redhead and gave a little apologetic bow. "I hope you didn't take that personally Miss Thorpe. I was just caught in the heat of the moment."

She swallowed so hard I could see the muscles in her throat shift. "It's fine," she said in a strained voice. "I knew you wouldn't hurt me, and even if you did then that is that."

Victor stared at Diana for longer than the rest of us could bare. Eventually Genevieve began to impatiently tap her foot, hands on her hips.

"God, can we get this over with please," she sighed, rolling her electric green eyes. "Anymore of these revolting 'eyes filled with desire' and I think I'll throw up."

"Ever the romantic," I remarked.

"Wait!" Victor snapped out of his trance. "Before I... offer my body to Ezaryth, there is one request I would like to make."

We waited with bated breath.

"Diana," he turned to face her again. She was as pale as the moon itself, green eyes filled with no emotion I could recognise. "You have done more to help me than I ever deserved from you, but I have one last thing to beg of you."

She nodded. A quiet way of saying go on. Even she had to acknowledge the sacrifice he would be making for our sake.

"Cut my hair." His voice seemed to echo in the sudden silence of the woodlands. "Cut me hair and just talk to me."

I wasn't sure what she'd say. Jax cast me an anxious look, as if asking if I wanted him to step in. I shook my head.

"Okay," Diana finally said. "That's reasonable. Although, I hope you know I'm a terrible hair cutter."

He laughed darkly. "I wouldn't have expected anything else of you."

Genevieve stepped back towards us as Diana was led inside by Victor, a scowl painted on her beautiful face.

"Are we meant to wait out here then?" She asked in an irritated voice.

"Yes," Elsbeth answered curtly before shutting us out.

Genevieve tilted her head back, her features illuminated by the light emanating from the windows of the house.

"So," she drawled. "Thought of any baby names?"

Me and Jax stood in silent solidarity, unsure what to say.

"I'm not thinking about anything like that until Ezaryth is dealt with," I replied.

She cocked a dark eyebrow. "So confident."

"It's better than living in a constant state of pessimism like you," Jax said, not much emotion in his voice. We didn't want to be having this conversation. We wanted this done and over with. The waiting made us all feel on edge.

Genevieve just let out a cold laugh. "Even Victor doesn't believe tonight will end well- why else would he be sat playing dress up with the freak reincarnated of his old plaything."

"Don't let him hear you talk like that," I warned.

Genevieve tutted at me. "Live a little, Smith. We're about to face an even greater evil than that prehistoric emo in there."

Jax wrapped his arms around me and growled at Genevieve. It said everything in one guttural sound: she could stop talking or have her throat ripped out.

She shrugged her perfect shoulder and just smiled at us.

Genevieve's reaction scared me more than anything. I clutched tighter to Jax's arm, petrified of the moment I would have to let him go.